Cake Flour Substitute
For 1 cup of cake flour, use ⅞ cup all-purpose flour + 2 tbsp cornstarch. Whisk together; ⅞ cup is ¾ cup + 2 tbsp. Use by equal volume or weight. Below: the swap scaled to the amounts recipes use.
For 1 cup of cake flour
⅞ cup all-purpose flour + 2 tbsp cornstarch
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Whisk together; ⅞ cup is ¾ cup + 2 tbsp. Use by equal volume or weight.
Data & method: from King Arthur Baking, “How to make cake flour”. An automated test pins each ratio to its source. How we calculate →
Scaled to what your recipe calls for
All-purpose flour + cornstarch, computed for the amounts recipes actually use:
| Recipe needs | Use instead |
|---|---|
| ¼ cup of cake flour | 3½ tbsp all-purpose flour + 1½ tsp cornstarch |
| ½ cup of cake flour | 7 tbsp all-purpose flour + 1 tbsp cornstarch |
| ¾ cup of cake flour | ½ cup + 2½ tbsp all-purpose flour + 1½ tbsp cornstarch |
| 1 cup of cake flour | ⅞ cup all-purpose flour + 2 tbsp cornstarch |
| 1½ cups of cake flour | 1¼ cups + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour + 3 tbsp cornstarch |
| 2 cups of cake flour | 1¾ cups all-purpose flour + 4 tbsp cornstarch |
Need a different amount — or a different ingredient?
The calculator scales every option to your exact amount, for all 17 staples we cover.
Best swap All-purpose flour + cornstarch
⅞ cup all-purpose flour + 2 tbsp cornstarch
Whisk together; ⅞ cup is ¾ cup + 2 tbsp. Use by equal volume or weight.
Other swaps bakers look for
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- Heavy Cream substitute for baking
- Whole Milk substitute
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- Cream of Tartar substitute for leavening
- Cornstarch substitute for thickening
- Honey substitute
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Weighing instead? 1 cup of cake flour in grams: 120 g →
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I use instead of cake flour?
The best swap for 1 cup of cake flour is ⅞ cup all-purpose flour + 2 tbsp cornstarch — whisk together; ⅞ cup is ¾ cup + 2 tbsp. Use by equal volume or weight. Source: King Arthur Baking, “How to make cake flour”.
How much substitute do I use for a different amount of cake flour?
Scale the parts linearly. The table on this page covers the common amounts, and the calculator scales every option to exactly what your recipe calls for — never a vague "adjust to taste".